Worldwide, over two billion people use bicycles as their primary mode of transportation every day. In the United States, over 200 million people own bicycles. Recently, bicycles have resurged in popularity due to increasing gasoline prices with more bicycles being produced than automobiles each year. Bicycles are also popular in many developing countries, partly because gasoline and automobiles are very expensive and unaffordable for the majority of the nation.
Traditionally, bicycles have been propelled by the bicycle rider's pedaling. People have a desire to travel to places faster with minimum physical labor, however. Therefore, it would be desirable to power a bicycle with an electric motor, thereby turning an otherwise manually-powered bicycle into an electric vehicle. This would make a bicycle rider's daily commute more enjoyable in an environmentally friendly way.
In general, an electric motor converts electrical energy into mechanical motion. Typical electric motors include a rotor that rotates and a stator that remains stationary. The rotor incorporates fixed magnets, and the stator incorporates energized coils. When the coils are energized, a force is generated perpendicular to both the coil and the magnetic field, which is characterized by the Lorentz force law F=q (v×B). The rotor rotates because the coils and magnetic field are arranged so that torque is generated about the rotor axis. The two main types of electric motors are direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) motors. Most electric motors in transportation have been AC motors because of the higher maintenance cost of replacing the DC brush. Brushless DC permanent magnet motors are becoming popular, however, because they have a high startup torque, simpler speed control, and greater energy efficiency than AC motors.
For use with bicycles, DC permanent magnet motors present a few challenges. For example, typical DC permanent magnet motors are efficient at only one speed and experience electromagnetic interference when powering on and off. Additionally, typical DC permanent magnet motors experience cogging torque, which causes the motor to lock up when the power is switched off rather than allowing for a smooth natural deceleration. Accordingly, it would be desirable to design a DC electric motor with a control system that maximizes the motor's efficiency at any bicycle speed and reduces electromagnetic interference. It also would be desirable to design the motor so that cogging torque is minimized, allowing a bicycle rider to smoothly decelerate when coming to a stop.
Another drawback of typical DC permanent magnet motors for use with bicycles is that their circular architecture requires them to be permanently attached to the bicycle. Accordingly, consumers are required to purchase a new specialized bicycle, which can be prohibitively expensive. Moreover, if the motor needs repair or maintenance, a bicycle rider cannot simply remove the motor system and continue to ride his or her bicycle using the pedals. It would therefore be desirable to design a DC electric motor that can be quickly and easily removed from the bicycle.
Ultimately, to convert a traditional bicycle to an electric vehicle, it would be desirable to provide an entire electric motor conversion system that is lightweight, portable, and produces zero emissions and noise. Additionally, it would be desirable to design the electric motor conversion system so that it maximizes performance at any given speed and minimizes cogging torque when decelerating. Finally, it would be desirable to provide an electric motor conversion system that is compatible with existing bicycle designs, allowing the consumer to quickly convert a conventional bicycle to an electric vehicle.